Editorial Note
On May 24 the Governments of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced that they had established at London a Tripartite Commission on German Debts (TCGD) to carry on the work of the Intergovernmental Study Group on Germany in the area of prewar and postwar German external debts. At the same time the three Governments released to the press the proposed procedure for reaching a settlement, the principles relating to it, and the terms of reference for the Commission.
The Commission held preparatory meetings in June and July with representatives of the Federal Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, and Switzerland to exchange views on the many problems involved in a settlement. Following a recess to consult their governments the members of the Commission resumed their deliberations with the representatives of the Federal Republic on November 26 and in December were successful in reaching agreement on postwar Allied claims. At the same time arrangements were made for a full conference of creditors to be held at London in 1952.
For the texts of the documents relating to the establishment of the TCGD, see Department of State Bulletin, June 4, 1951, pages 901–906; for the text of the communiqué issued on December 11, stating the [Page 1445] amounts due to the United States, the United Kingdom, and France for their postwar economic assistance, see ibid., December 24, 1951, pages 1021–1022; documentation on the deliberations of the TCGD in its various phases is in file 398.10–GDC and in the CFM flies, lot M–88, boxes 206–209.